Litcharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in all my sons, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. Joe keller and his partner were manufacturers of parts for planes for the war effort in world war ii. All my sons analysis activity theme analysis essay. It features an extensive introduction by toby zinman which includes. All my sons is a 1948 american film drama directed by irving reis and based on arthur miller s play of the same name. Jim bayliss jim sue bayliss frank lubey lydia lubey bert act one the back yard of the keller home in the outskirts of an american town. All my sons introduced themes that thread through millers work as a whole. Many critics described death of a salesman as the first great american tragedy, and miller gained eminence as a man who understood the deep essence of the united states. This guide is written for teachers and students who are studying arthur millers play all my sons. All my sons plot summary, character breakdowns, context and analysis, and performance video clips.
All my sons critical essay all my sons written by arthur miller is a dramatic play which shows actions and consequences and morality and studies the theme of idealism verses realism, social responsibility and the american dream. A sad postworld war ii story about the kellers, a seemingly all american family. All my sons what do you believe to be the social, moral message of the play. All my sons could be read as a study on shades of deceit. The guide is written specifically for students in the uk, but i hope it may be helpful to users from other parts of the world. The play was a critical and popular success, winning the new york drama critics circle award and. It is difficult to underestimate the importance of the great depression and of the second world war on the work of arthur miller and his. The death of a salesman, the crucible, after the fall, and this play, all my sons. Winner of the drama critics award for best new play in 1947, all my sons established arthur miller as a leading voice in the american theater. All my sons 1947, a broadway success that won the new york drama critics circle award in 1947, tells the story of a son, home from the war, who learns that his brothers death was due to defective airplane parts turned out by their profiteering father.
Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. Keller owns an airplane manufacturing business with steve deever. All my sons study guide contains a biography of arthur miller, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. All my sons quotes goodreads meet your next favorite book. The fatherson relationship is critical to the theme of the play. I dont know why it is, but every time i reach out for something i want, i have to pull back because other people will suffer.
All my sons is a must have for any admirer of classic drama. Exposition keller is married to kate keller or mother and they have two sons larry and chris. In 1987, the broadway revival of all my sons won the tony award for best revival of a play starring richard kiley. Miserable man that i am, i have had the bravest sons in all troynoble nestor, troilus. About the play miller wrote it after his broadway disaster the man who had all the luck. They have only one sadness in their lives the loss of their other son, larry, who went missing in world war ii. It ran for 328 performances and garnered important critical acclaim for the dramatist, winning the. All my sons summary how it all goes down joe keller, a successful businessman, lives comfortably with his wife, kate, and son, chris, in a suburban american neighborhood. It was directed by elia kazan to whom it is dedicated, produced by elia kazan and harold clurman, and won the new york drama critics circle award. The main aspects of that are the main war efforts, in which set the male domination higher, money and business, these are in which set the male characters in the play. It was directed by the stage and film director elia kazan. All my sons, arthur millers first commercially successful play, opened at the coronet theatre in new york on january 29, 1947. Kates wily intelligence combines with joes social talent to make the kellers a crackerjack team of deceivers. Betrays its stage origins, especially at the end, but still a gripping drama with excellent performances all around.
American all my sons guide exploring themes information on arthur. The threeact play, first performed shortly after world war ii, focuses on the kellers, a family in middle america. Chris is outside, in dress pants but no shirt, clearing away the brush from larrys sheared tree. Ann marvels at joes magnanimity, and chris agrees that he is a great guy. And i guess they were, i guess they werejoe keller i think that arthur miller wrote four great plays. Discuss the father son relationship to the title of the play, all my sons. The play all my sons written by arthur miller, is a play in which the male characters are prominent. All my sons, a threeact play written by miller in 1947, is one of his bestknown works. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of the great gatsby and what it means. His major achievement was death of a salesman, which won the 1949 pulitzer prize for drama and the 1949 new york drama critics circle award. Or grab a flashlight and read shmoop under the covers. Millers plays are performed all too infrequently in this country. All my sons study guide from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. All my sons was first produced on broadway in 1947.
Larry in all my sons anonymous 10th grade in arthur millers all my sons, larry is the youngest member of the keller family who passed away in world war ii. For this activity, you will be analyzing the major themes from arthur millers play, all my sons. Buy all my sons penguin modern classics book online at. A concise biography of arthur miller plus historical and literary context for all my sons. Joe and kate do their best to charm george into submission, but finally its ann who sends him away. All my sons is a threeact play written in 1946 by arthur miller. It ran for 328 performances and garnered important critical acclaim for the dramatist, winning the prestigious new york drama critics circle award. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of all my sons by arthur miller. All my sons what do you believe to be the social, moral.
All my sons, a play in three acts, is set in a small town several years after world war two, and begins with jim bayliss, a doctor, and joe keller, head of the keller family, sitting in kellers backyard, reading the paper. A storm the previous night has shorn in half a tree that is revealed to memorialize larry keller, one of two keller childrenthe son who did not survive the war. In this lesson, learn about arthur millers three act play, all my sons. Read the plot summary of arthur millers all my sons. The play opens in the hedgedin backyard of the keller home, with joe keller, head of the family, father of two boys, husband to katie keller, sitting outside reading the paper alongside his friend and neighbor dr. Choose from 500 different sets of all my sons flashcards on quizlet. Whilst the printed copy is a second best to a live performance, it is a spur to seek out the real thing. Within this play miller has successfully portrayed the moral dilemma as to where responsibility begins and where it ends. Created by the original team behind sparknotes, litcharts are the worlds best literature guides. This student edition of all my sons is perfect for students of literature and drama and offers an unrivalled guide to millers play.
Mar 24, 2019 read the plot summary of arthur millers all my sons. Buy all my sons penguin modern classics book online at low. Welcome to the litcharts study guide on arthur millers all my sons. All my sons is a play by arthur miller in which the keller family is haunted by the memory of eldest son larry, who died during. It opened on broadway at the coronet theatre in new york city on january 29, 1947, closed on november 8, 1949, and ran for 328 performances. I dont know why it is, but every time i reach out for something i want, i have to pull back because other. Following the success of tennessee williams with the glass menagerie, miller decided to go for a more commercial play in a realistic style. Two years later, miller wrote death of a salesman, which won the pulitzer prize and transformed miller into a national sensation. The father joe keller and his business partner herbert deever manufactured plane parts during the war and his partner was convicted and imprisoned for shipping out faulty parts which caused the deaths of military pilots. When i shall have read all the books and learned my new way, when my home will be ready and my earth tilled, i shall steal one day, for the last time, into the cursed city of my birth. Based upon a true story, all my son is a classic drama by one of americas greatest playwrights. Part of selfprotection means placing the blame elsewhere, creating diversions. After three years, kate still clings to the hope that her son is alive.
All my sons study guide from litcharts the creators of. Even as they tell jokes, drink grape juice, and dream of dancing, the characters vigilantly protect damning information that, if revealed, will destroy their lives. The play introduced themes that would preoccupy miller throughout his career. Kate comes out, not yet dressed for dinner, to see what chris is doing.
It is an outstanding work written by arguably the greatest playwright of the twentieth century. All my sons summary from litcharts the creators of. But i think to him the pilots killed were all my sons. Joe keller, a successful businessman, lives comfortably with his wife, kate, and son, chris, in a suburban american neighborhood. Learn all my sons with free interactive flashcards. The play was a critical and popular success, winning the new york drama critics circle award and two tony awards. Shmoop ebooks are like having a trusted, fun, chatty. All my sons summary from litcharts the creators of sparknotes.
All my sons a play in three acts by arthur miller characters. During world war ii their business is booming, but one day keller tells steve that he is sick, but they have some faulty. A storm blows down the tree and a devastating family secret is uprooted, setting the characters on a terrifying journey towards truth. Dive deep into all my sons by arthur miller anywhere you go. Although he does not appear on stage for the duration of the play, he is still considered to be one of the most important roles. This thesis is a record of the fall 2007 production of arthur millers play, all my sons, as directed by graham northrup. All my sons is a play by arthur miller in which the keller family is haunted by the memory of eldest son larry, who died during world war ii chris keller invites his.
Arthur miller booklist arthur miller message board. Written by arthur miller in 1947, all my sons is a tragic. All my sons structure by bettina muellertuescher on prezi. At the heart of all my sons lies a scathing criticism of the american dream. Shmoops awardwinning literature guides are now available on your nook. Miller produced his first great success, all my sons, in 1947.
In 1947, arthur miller exploded onto broadway with his first major work, all my sons, winning both the new york drama critics circle award for best new play and the tony for best author. The crucible was aimed at the widespread congressional investigation of. The story is a reflection of society and how people driven by a lust for money can stoop to any extent to acquire wealth. In 1938 miller won awards for his comedy the grass still grows. All my sons shmoop learning guide by shmoop nook book. After two years, he entered the university of michigan, where he soon started writing plays. Joe keller keller kate keller mother chris keller ann deever george deever dr. Sep 28, 2017 all my sons is family drama at its best. I shall call to me my friend who has no name save international 48818, and all those like him, fraternity 25503, who cries without reason, and solidarity 9. Arthur millers huge broadway successes in the 1940s and 50sall my sons, death of a salesman, and the crucibleas well as his significant body of work thereafter, have guaranteed his reputation as one of americas greatest playwrights. Robinson, burt lancaster, louisa horton and mady christians.
All my sons, a threeact play written by miller in 1947, is one of his best known works. Take your understanding of all my sons by arthur miller to a whole new level, anywhere you go. In all my sons, moral fortitude generally loses to practicality and selfprotection. Arthur millers play, all my sons contains many different social, moral messages. A storm the previous night has shorn in half a tree that is revealed to memorialize larry keller, one of two keller. Larry has been missing for the last three years ann was engaged to larry before he went missing herbert is in jail as a result of selling defective airplane parts joe was acquitted of the crime background reveal is modern characters reveal. Get all the key plot points of arthur millers all my sons on one page. All my sons introduced, themes that thread through millers work as a whole. Shmoops awardwinning learning guides are now available on your favorite ebook reader. They covered up some faulty parts and were responsible for the deaths of twenty one pilots.